While You're There

You’ve picked your destination, packed your bags and booked your flight. No matter how thoroughly you plan you probably won’t be able to do and see everything. Take into consideration crowds and avoid overly busy tourist areas in order to make the most of your time. Of course, you are on vacation to have fun, so don’t stress too much if you have to tweak your schedule. If an unexpected opportunity arises then don’t be afraid to jump at it – some of the best memories are made spontaneously.

Quick Tips:

Don’t just visit tourist hotspots, some of the best experiences are off the beaten path

Be flexible! Tweak your schedule if need be

Public transit varies from place to place. Look it up beforehand!

Budget airlines can be a great way to get around, especially in Europe

There are more options than ever for accommodation nowadays. Figure out what suits you best (comfort versus cost)

Booking ahead of time can often save money and give you peace of mind

Eat locally! You’ll get great food for the best prices

Transit

Getting to your chosen destination is only half the battle. Unless you want to spend your entire vacation in the airport, you’re going to have to familiarise yourself with local transportation. Generally public transit in Europe is safe, efficient and easy to use, but that is by no means a universal rule. For example, South East Asia and Africa may not always have reliable public transit. Be sure to familiarise yourself ahead of time with your transportation options. You may have to sacrifice comfort for speed or cost (choosing between a ferry or a flight, train or bus). Look up budget airlines ahead of time. You may have to pay a bit more than a bus but most are reasonably priced and you could save a great deal of time.

Sleeping

When looking for a place to hang your hat for the night, you’ll often have a variety of options. Cities can be home to tons of hotels, apartments, hostels, as well as newer services such as Airbnb. Other times you might be camping out in the wilderness with a second hand tent you just picked up! The point is that you have a boatload of options to choose from – and it will depend on where you are. You can often save money by booking ahead of time, but you can still find places on short notice if your plans change.

Eating

In the modern globalised world you can pretty much get a Big Mac or a Whopper anywhere in the world – but then what’s the point of traveling! Eating locally might be intimidating at first but it will save you money and will generally be of a higher quality than other options. Avoid fast food joints and tourist traps – instead try eating like a local. Find restaurants that specialise in the local cuisine. For example: eat pasta in Italy and goulash in Hungary.